Automatic road direction sign



1937. J. B. STRAUSS AUTOMATIC ROAD DIRECTION SIGN Filed Sept. 14, 1951 Jwe ibn Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic road direction signs and has for its object to provide a new and improved device of this description. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a View of one form of device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of Figure 1 as seen at right angles thereto; Fig. 3 is a diagram of the electrical circuits. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown a construction consisting of a hollow post I with an enlarged hollow base 2. The post is preferably provided with a sign 3 giving the name of the street, and this sign is arranged of a transparent or translucent material with a light behind it. At the top of the post is a stop signaling device 4 with flashing lights therein. There may be a single light or there may be red and green lights.

Attached to the post i and projecting from the sides thereof are the frames 5 and B. These frames are provided with removable sign slats I, either translucent or transparent, with lights behind them so as to make them easily readable, which have the directions thereon, such as the names of the towns, and an arrow showing the direction of these towns from the. point where the device is located. These sign slats are removable so that any names or signs can be placed therein:

Within the hollow base 2 is located the mechanism which, as herein shown, consists of a box 8 with a battery therein, and a selfwinding clock 9, and an electric generator H! with the flashing contact device H, the generator being run by a suitable motor or engine I2. This engine is preferably an internal combustion engine and Application September 14, 1931, Serial No. 562,666

is supplied with fuel from the fuel tank l3. The clock is the ordinary self-winding clock actuated by the current.

In the diagram of circuits shown in Figure 3, the lights lfi are behind the sign 3, and the 5 lights l5 are behind the signs in the frame 5, and the lights l6 are behind the signs in the frame 6. The lights I1. and I8 arev the flashing lights in the stop signaling device 4.

It will be seen that I have here an automatic 10 road direction sign which is simple in construction, which is adjustable as desired for different names and signs, and which can be easily and quickly installed, and which is exceedingly effective in use.

I claim:

1. A road direction sign comprising a hollow post, a frame projecting laterally therefrom on each side thereof, removable sign slats in said frames, and a light behind said sign slats, and 20 a sign bearing portion extending vertically along said post intermediate said laterally projecting frames, and means for illuminating said vertically extending sign bearing portion and connections between said illuminated means and 25 said vertically extending sign bearing portion extending along the hollow of said post.

2. A road direction sign comprising a hollow post, a frame projecting laterally therefrom on each side thereof, removable sign slats in said 30 frames, a light behind said removable sign slats and a sign bearing portion extending vertically along said post intermediate said laterally projecting frames, and means for illuminating said vertically extending sign bearing portion, the 35 post having a hollow upper end, and a flashing light in said hollow upper end in alignment with said vertical sign bearing portion.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS. 

